The Grey Area
by Deco Pasta
Summary: Jack keeps on encountering Pitch in his nightmares. This makes Jack begin to question what is evil, whether Pitch is really evil or not, and what Jack's feelings truly are towards the Nightmare King.
1. Chapter 1 : The Encounter

**Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome first chapter of my new fanfiction! It's my first time doing creative writing other than poetry in quite a while, so I would **_**really **_**appreciate you're feedback. The rating will rise as this fic continues, I doubt any one cares, but this is just a note.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians or any of its creative properties. _**

Chapter One: The Encounter 

Jack shot up and looked around him, only to be met with darkness. He was surrounded by nothing but a black absence of light. There was no man on the moon watching over him, no wind whispering greetings like an old friend; just darkness. Groping blindly at the ground, he found his staff and used it as a crutch to help lift him off of the ground. Patting the dirt off of his clothing, he began to head in no particular direction. Heading somewhere is better than nowhere, right?

As he walked, he looked at the area around him, taking in the nothingness that surrounded him. '_When did it become so dark_,' he asked himself. '_I had only just lain down for a short nap….'_ As he continued on his path, he couldn't help but feel the shiver of fear creep up his spine. Jack peered into the dark hoping that nothing would stare back at him from between the branches of the old oak trees. He knew that he was an adult, a guardian no less, but the dark had always given him an ominous sensation. Tales of gruesome creatures that lurked in the shadows still hung heavy in his mind from his younger days, but back then he could laugh his fears away around the bonfires with his family and friends. Now there was no one to laugh away the monsters with, no bright bonfires, just darkness. This only caused him to quicken his pace.

Jack continued to walk through the black woods, but as he did he got the growing sense that someone or something was following him. He tried to brush this off as paranoia; that it was just dark out and he was working himself up, but with every step he took though the fear only grew. It grew and grew making his heart race, and pupils dilate. The carnal sense of fear only snuck closer into his conciousness. Finally it snapped, literally. Jack heard a twig crack behind him, which sent him into a full blown panic. Turning around he used his staff to throw a huge wave of ice, covering everything around him in a white frost. The frost soon became tinged though, as shadows began to consume it as they inched closer to Jack. Jack turned around in the opposite direction and sprinted away as fast as he could

Running blindly through the night he tried to push as many obstacles out of his way as possible, but still found himself being scratched by wild brambles and small branches. Jack couldn't care less though, all he knew was something was chasing him and he needed to get away. Running and running, his legs carried him but he could still feel the presence following him. In his mad dash he didn't realize the cracking sound underneath him. He looked down too late only to see the ice caving in underneath his feet. Crashing down he felt darkness consume him.

_'No, not again!' _He shouted in his mind. As the cold water and bits of ice tugged him down, feelings of fear and regret resurfaced. He couldn't die again, he had to protect them, the children; he was supposed to be a guardian! These thoughts only caused him to thrash out against the dark water, yet he was helpless to the abyss that sank him deeper into its icy hold. Soon he felt his body go numb, then limp, letting the water take him over.

And then there was warmth. He felt it wrapped around him, this feeling of safety bringing him closer into its embrace. Jack only clung tightly to it, like a child would to their mother. His shaking form greedily consumed the heat, letting it calm him down. "Shh, it's alright," was cooed to Jack as his hair was stroked back. Only then did he bother to look up, having his eyes met with a set of familiar gold orbs. Jack's face quickly morphed into anger as he pushed himself away from the grey man.

"Pitch," He hissed like it was some sort of curse word. "What are you doing here?"

Pitch's face look genuinely pained for a moment, but it was quickly replaced with his usual predatory smirk. "Jack, I only came to help." He said putting his hands up in a defensive manner.

"As delicious as your fear is, it…upsets me to see you like this." He finished stepping closer to the youthful spirit.

"Stay back!" Jack yelled stepping backwards.

"Jack, I already told you," Pitch repeated, not wavering in his step. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Jack felt like a mouse trapped in a corner as Pitch approached him. "I-I said stay back!" He shouted, eyes widening.

"You hurt me Jack, treating me so hostilely when all I want is to help you." Pitch crooned with a false pout.

"I don't believe you!" Jack growled in an icy tone.

"And why should you?" Pitch asked. "It's true that in the past we were enemies, but you also forget I offered you my alliance and friendship."

"And then you kidnapped my friend and threw us into a pit!" The ice spirit retorted with a sour expression.

"Yes, but in all fairness you did reject me, and so harshly too, even after I opened myself up to you." Pitch said looking warily at Jack. "But no matter now, the past is the past. Anyone can sit around and dwell on it, but it won't change. I know better than that, I also know we have something." This comment only made Jack's frown tighten, but since he was not being interrupted, Pitch continued. "What I'm getting at Jack is that we have a connection. I could tell this from the first time we met. The others don't know what it's like, to be lonely, to live in solitude." Pitch circled Jack as spoke then stood behind him "To not be believed in." Jack expression began to soften as Pitch continued ."But we do Jack, you and I." His voice became smoother as he leaned closer into Jack. "We do."

"Yes, but I didn't try to kill anyone." Jack protested.

The snow spirit then flinched but didn't push Pitch away when he touched his shoulder "I know, I'm not asking for redemption, I'm not asking for an alliance, or even your full trust. I just want your companionship…I'm so lonely Jack, you understand that."

Jack did understand, as he had at one point been the same as the Boogeyman. He saw in the other's eyes all the feelings of loneliness and desperation he had once felt. In fact, it would still be that way if the man on the moon hadn't called his name once more and given him his new destiny. Pitch, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. He couldn't blame the other entirely for his actions; he had felt alarmingly similar from being left alone for so long. If Pitch had come to him before the guardians, Jack wondered who he might have become.

Pitch, seeing Jack's face soften, cupped his cheeks in his hands. Grey on white, tainted and pure, they spent a moment staring at each other, communicating absolutely nothing. Jack's expression of confusion quickly morphed into shock when their lips pressed together. Jack was so surprised he didn't even push Pitch away, when Pitch began to nibble his lip. He had never held hands with anyone, let alone been kissed before, so he didn't know how to react when Pitch's tongue slipped into his mouth, other than to let out a soft groan. warmth from Pitch's lips spread all across jacks body, making him shiver at the new sensation. Jack's eyes fluttered shut as he clung onto Pitch's shirt, only encouraging Pitch to deepen the kiss. Even with his eyes closed, Jack could feel the darkness begin to surround him, consuming him further into its hold.

That's when Jack shot up, panting and looking around him. He was in the same spot he had been in when he had drifted off to sleep. Unlike before it wasn't dark, it wasn't scary; it was safe. Grabbing his staff, he used it as a crutch to heave himself off of the ground. He looked up at the sky to see the moon rising once more, his watchful gaze over the world below him. He felt relief in the feeling of the wind brushing against his cheek, welcoming him back to this familiar world.

Finally his breathing steadied and his shoulders slumped, feeling at ease with his current environment. Even so, he still felt a prickle of fear linger in his chest at the thought of being left out in the dark. Jumping up, Jack shouted at the wind "Take me home!" The wind rushed around Jack's body, lifting him into the air in twists and twirls like a fallen leaf. As he rose in the air he could swear he heard someone whisper, "See you again soon Jack." Jack brushed it off as his imagination, only looking ahead to the promise of home.


	2. Chapter 2: Relating With the Devil

**Author's Note: Welcome back to the old readers and hello to the new ones! Sorry the update took so long, I've just been very busy with school work and such. Speaking of me being busy with school work, I'd just like you to know that this probably won't update quickly. I'm hoping to have the next update in February, but I can't make any solid 100% for sure promises. **

**I know the name for this chapter is cheesy, but I was honestly stuck. If you think of a better one, please let me know. **

**Also critique would be wonderful since I'm always hoping to improve. Thanks a bunch for reading and please enjoy the fic! **

**The cover art for this fanfiction was created for me by the wonderfully talented tumblr artist senoritasquidney. You can view a larger version of the picture and more of her lovely art at **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians or any of its creative properties. _**

Chapter Two: Relating With the Devil

Jack leaned against the light post smiling to himself as he watching the children below play in the freshly fallen snow. Jack thought there was absolutely nothing better than a snow day. There was no sound better than the giddy shrieks of a snowball fight, or a feeling more exhilarating than sledding down an icy hill. This is exactly what he needed.

Ever since the nightmare he had had a few nights ago Jack tried to keep himself occupied. He had busied himself by making twice as many snow days, visiting Jamie more often, and even helping out his guardian friends. Jack did anything to keep himself busy. Anything to not think about that nightmare. Jack shook his head not liking where his thought process was going. He then jumped down from his resting spot in favor of running over to where all of the others were playing to join in on the fun. For the rest of the day he frolicked in the snow with his new friends, laughing and throwing snowballs, wishing that moments like these would just last forever.

Though, the time with the children didn't last forever. As the sun began to set, and the sky grew dark, children's parents called them in for supper. This was Jack's least favorite part of the day. It was when the world went quiet, and sitting still for too long could easily lull you to sleep, but Jack couldn't fall asleep. He was afraid that if he fell into slumber he would get another nightmare, and if he got another nightmare he would have to face Pitch again. Jack knew meeting pitch again would only make more uncomfortable thoughts arise in his mind.

The feelings the nightmare had evoked confused him. These feelings took his clean and solid notions of black and white, and then mixed them into a grey sludge of uncertainty. It wasn't simple fear, no Jack could handle that. Fear was an extinct he could overcome, a challenge to be met. He treated it as a battle, good versus evil. He could defeat his fear like any other foe, and move one. This was much deeper. It tugged at his mind, making him question the things he thought were solid and unquestionably true, such as the fact that Pitch was evil. Jack knew Pitch was evil. Pitch had tried to destroy the Guardians and gained power from instilling fear in the children of the world. What was pulling at Jack's mind was the question of was entirely Pitch's fault? Jack knew he spread nightmares, but that's what he was created to do. Would you call a shark evil for killing its meal? He did try to destroy the Guardians, and that held no excuse, but Jack couldn't help but sympathize a little with the darker spirit. He knew what it was like to be lonely and unseen, wanting nothing more than to be believed in, and noticed. This scared him the most. He didn't want to think he or Pitch shared anything in common. Pitch was supposed to be the bad guy, and he the hero, plain and simple, black and white.

In the middle of his thoughts Jack tumbled over himself, hitting the ground in a graceless manner. The days without sleep and packed with play were starting to take a toll on Jack's body. He managed to lift himself back up, but the weight of his body seemed much heavier than before. Growing weary of the struggle to transport himself from point A to point B, Jack sat himself under a large oak tree and stared up at the sky. It wasn't completely dark yet, so he decided it was alright if he rested for a minute. The feeling of the cool earth seemed to let his body melt into its soft hold, coaxing his muscles to relax. Jack let them do just that, causing the frost spirit to feel calmer than he had in days. His eyes began to feel heavy and sting with the feeling of tiredness. Although his subconscious argued otherwise Jack decided it wouldn't hurt if he let his eyes rest for a moment. And for just a moment Jack, closed his eyes, and sighed at the relief it brought.

As soon as Jack's eyes had closed he felt them reopened. Although the area around him was dark he felt no fear. He felt more refreshed than anything. Jack knew just letting himself rest for a bit would help him. Picking himself up off the ground with a self satisfied smile, he stretched himself out, letting his arms reach high towards the sky. It was then that Jack began to feel and eerie sense of déjà vu. It was when his arms reached up he noticed that he lacked the feeling of the wind tickling his sides, or when his eye met the sky he was not met with the moon's ever present gaze. The lack of these elements felt too familiar… it was then Jack really began to feel the darkness. The way it seemed to stare at him, waiting for Jack to turn around for it to pounce. Jack became highly defensive in his stance, leaning down warily to pick up his staff. Once the staff was safely in Jack's hold once more, he kept it safely in front of him, as though the thin piece of wood itself was enough to shield him against all that goes bump in the night. The hairs on the back of Jack's neck rose as he heard a low chuckle project from a figure forming out of the shadows in front of him.

"No need to be so defensive Jacky boy, I'm not going to bite you." Pitch finished with an almost teasing smirk.

This of course did nothing to calm Jack; in fact it only made his muscles tense up more and caused Jack to give Pitch a dark and skeptical look.

"What reason do I have to not be defensive around you?" Jack bit out in a coldly, matched with an equally icy glare.

"I really don't understand why you're acting so aggressive, Jack. I thought I made it clear last time we chatted that I just wanted to talk."

"Chatted? I think you mean when you invaded my dream and harassed me. Gee you're right that was a swell time indeed, no wonder we're now best friends!" Jack replied in a sarcastically enlightened tone. Despite the lively performance Jack had just given, Pitch was thoroughly un-amused.

"Don't be so melodramatic Jack, can you honestly tell me you would have given me even a chance to speak in any other circumstance?" Pitch asked out of Jack's sight. "Despite what you may believe I'm not the source of all dark thoughts and dreams." Jack felt the sensation of hot breath on the back of his neck, which caused him to jump and turn around rapidly "You're plenty capable of conjuring them up yourself." Pitch finished with a coy smile. Jack simply backed away from the other with a dark glare.

"You're a conjurer of many things Pitch, but so am I!" the younger spirit finished raising his staff as he shot a wave of ice at the Nightmare King. Pitch dodged the ice with ease, simply clicking his tongue.

Pitch then melded into the shadows around them, hiding himself from Jack's sight once more. "Temper temper Jack. I know why you strike out me, and it's not because of your anger…it's your fear. I can smell it." Pitch finished

"N-no I'm not!" Jack panicked, walking in a rushed circle and holding his staff in a defensive manner, ready to strike at Pitch again if it became necessary. His eyes darted around the darkness, searching for a figure he could not find.

"There's no use in lying to me Jack, if I know anything, it's the experience of fear." Jack couldn't see Pitch, but he could hear the painfully cocky grin in his voice. "How it smells before it rolls off of one's body like perspiration…" Pitches voice gained humility as he continued though "My knowledge comes not only from being the cause of it, but also from personal experience."

Jack didn't let his guard down, but mild curiosity was added to his current facial expression at this statement.

"Helpless, rejected, unwanted, and alone are all emotions that I share with the world. It's not pleasurable being the spirit of nightmares." Pitch's tone became more solemn as he continued "Children love the warmth and light of the day, but shy away from the dark of the night. They want dreams and hope and to wonder, not nightmares, not fear. I never asked to be this person, to lead this life."

Jack began to soften, sympathizing with Pitch's words. Although now Jack was beginning to gain all that he had desired, the feelings of isolation and desperation had not left his mind. All those years alone, the countless snowball fights he had started all in hope of getting any sort of attention. The amount of effort he put into trying to make someone laugh, only to have that laughter be forgotten faster than it had come. The seemingly endless stream nights, yelling at the moon until his lungs gave out. What hurt Jack more than the soreness of his throat was the fact that the moon never responded.

"Even though I realized this truth and understood it, I was just so angry, so bitter; the man on the moon had shoved this terrible fate on me and in return gave me nothing. In the past I at least had belief. While I was still hated at least they noticed me, but now I have nothing." Pitch's form began to reappear from out of the shadows, but it did not hold the same power as before. His body was limp and pleading in its movements. "Jack I don't want to be me. I don't want to be alone."

Pitch looked so weak, so vulnerable, but Jack couldn't help but hold onto his suspicions. "Why are you telling me all of this?" Jack asked.

"Because who else can I Jack? No one wants to hear the boogey man's story, I doubt even you do. Everyone gets lonely Jack and I am no exception. "

Pitch may be nasty, and even a little cruel, but he wasn't evil. He was just hurt. At this realization all of the pain from Jack's past rushed to him, making him remember his own bitter resentment he had towards his own existence not too long ago. These emotions caused Jack's eyes to soften towards the other, sympathizing with him.

Pitch looked warily at Jack as the frost spirit walked up to him. Jack's walking stopped right in front of Pitch. Pitch was expecting some sort of confrontation, yelling, screaming, hitting, but not this. Not for Jack's arms to fling around the taller spirit, holding him in a tight embrace. Pitch simply stood there for a minute, dumbfounded by the current situation. In any other situation Jack might have laughed at how Pitch's eyes resembled dinner plates and his how body tensed up, but Jack's eyes were squeezed shut as he embraced the older spirit. Pitch quickly got over his surprise and let his body melt as he hugged Jack back with as much gust as he had received.

They held onto each other like lifelines, grasps tight and needy. In each other's arms they felt as though they had both gained something they had been lacking for much too long. Like pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together, their bodies seemed to meld into one. Neither could say how long they stayed like that, but neither truly cared either. Jack greedily consumed Pitch's body heat by pressing their bodies' together. The foreign sensation sent sparks down his nerves, spreading the new found warmth all through his body. Pitch let out a soft sighed and buried his face in Jack's neck, deeply breathing in the distinct scent of Jack. Jack shivered at the feeling of Pitch's breath on his neck, and let his hands tangle into the back of Pitch's cloak. Pitch laid a light kiss on to Jack's pale neck eliciting a soft gasp from the white haired spirit. Pitch then moved his head up just enough as to stare into Jack's eyes.

Pitch and Jack stood captured in the quiet of their presence. They needed no words, for all that needed to be said was conveyed in the silence. Surprisingly it was then that Jack leaned forward and placed his lips on Pitch's. He couldn't explain why he did it, it just felt right. Unlike before Pitch, spent no time being shocked and instead returned the kiss with equal passion. This time the kiss was not as rushed and carnal as it was gentle and chaste. Their lips melded together in soft movements, conveying their need for one another. Pitch's arms slid down to the small of Jack's back. This caused Jack's mouth to open in a gasp and Pitch took advantage of this by letting his tongue slide into Jack's mouth. Jack groaned receiving the action happily. He then moved his tongue into Pitch's mouth experimentally, feeling his tongue stroke against the other one.

This sparked Pitch's desire anew. Pitch's movements became greedy and demanding as he deepened the kiss. Jack fell helplessly to the sensation groaning and clinging tightly to the taller spirit. Their bodies began to grind and soft pants were muffled by open mouthed kisses. Jack felt himself become lost in the feelings of warmth and need for the other. He moved his hand to grab onto Pitch's hair only to receive cool nothing.

Jack immediately opened his eyes and was met with the rising sun. He then sat up and looked around him. He was once again alone. All Jack could do for a minute was just sit there and let the feeling sink in. The spirit then picked up his staff and stood up. He stretched out his limbs with a frown etched onto his face. Even with a full night of sleep his body felt just as tired and groggy as before. Not knowing what else to do Jack sighed to himself and began walking once more.


	3. Chapter 3:One Step ForwardTwo Steps Back

**Authors Notes: Hey everyone, welcome back! I know I said I'd try to update in February but that clearly didn't happen. Sorry for the long period of time without an update, hopefully next time will be shorter because I actually have an idea of what I want to happen next chapter. **

**I'm sorry if it gets intense, I just want to write good, yes, me, job good. (I know that was improper grammar that was the joke) Critique is always appreciated since I need to improve my writing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians or anything, I'm just writing a dumb fanfiction.**

**Chapter 3:** One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

While grogginess fogged his vision, and the same aches still plagued his joints like with most mornings lately, today his pains were also matched with renewed enthusiasm. Jack was happy to have someone new to talk to. After being in isolation for so long Jack found that the more friends he could make the better. While Jack appreciated all of his friends somehow Pitch was different. Even as the guardian of fear, Pitch gave Jack a certain feeling of security the younger spirit felt he could cling on to. Not only could he relate better to Jack than anyone else, but Pitch made feelings arise in Jack he didn't know existed, or could exist within his frost bitten body. It was more specific kind of warmth that spread from the pit of his stomach to all of his limbs. This sensation was caused by the thought of Pitch, and it only caused a large grin to spread across the young spirit's face, and added a light skip into his step. With such euphoric feelings it was no wonder Jack was eager to meet with Pitch once more. While the darker of the two still made him a little nervous, it wasn't the same anxiety enduring fear he had felt before. It was more like the fear of the unknown, enough to make you weary but not deter your curiosity.

Jack had even tried taking a nap to encounter Pitch sooner. Usually the ground was a comfortable enough place for him to doze off, with limbs weak and weary from a long day of play. In the light of the morning he found the earth too hard and bumpy to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in. Jack's limbs twitched with excitement and energy, causing him to not be able to lie still for more than three seconds. He counted the seconds, but after three he always began to roll around in frustration. Eventually Jack grew tired of the endless tossing and turning and gave up trying to sleep. He then lifted himself up of the ground with more bounce and energy than necessary, springing into a sprint on the search for a little fun to pass the time.

No sooner as Jack had begun his search for his fun did he find it. Today for Jack, fun was in the shape of sliding down a steep slope, crashing, and spending the entirety of the afternoon building ramps out of ice to try and outdo the previous wipe out. Jack didn't even realize how the seconds morphed into minuets, which blurred into hours. Jack was having so much fun that he didn't even notice the dark arrive, not until he saw the white snow had tinged grey with the arrival of the overcast sky. The coming of night excited Jack, and if it weren't for his physical exhaustion from running around all day he probably wouldn't have been able to fall asleep. It was this loss of feeling in his limbs that made it so easy to lie down in the soft snow, letting it envelope his body in its cool embrace. Jack hummed at the familiar comfort and let his eyes flutter shut with thoughts full of onyx hair and golden eyes.

When Jack's eyes reopened he found himself once more surrounded by darkness. The young frost spirit smiled. While the darkness before only filled him with a foreboding sense of dread, now it was filled with promises of meeting Pitch once more.

"Ollie ollie oxen free Pitch!" Jack called out into the darkness "I know you're here!"

As soon as the words had left Jack's mouth a flurry of movement rippled through the shadows, and revealed a smirking Pitch.

"Eager are we?" Pitch asked with a coy smile.

"But of course, I've been waiting all day to see you." Jack responded grinning happily at the older spirit; because in all honesty he had.

"Oh?" Pitch asked jokingly, cocking his head to the side. "Should I be worried or happy?"

Jack let out a small laugh still smiling at the taller spirit "What do you think?"

"I'm honestly not quite sure, Jack, you've been quite hostile towards me in our past meetings." Pitch mused, giving Jack a sideways glance.

"Oh come on Pitch!" Jack barked out in a half chuckle, letting himself fall onto the heels of his feet in exasperation.

"Oh nothing Jack, I'm going to need you to show me whether I truly should be ill at ease or not." Pitch finished with a smirk that seemed to hold a hidden innuendo.

"I'll show you!" Jack shouted picking up some snow and packing it into a snowball.

"Jack…" Pitch let out warily to deaf ears as Jack threw the snow ball at the taller spirit. It hit the Pitch's face with a splat, the white powder contrasting sharply with his grey skin. Pitch wiped the snow off his face with a grimace that made Jack begin to regret his actions. Surprisingly enough Pitch's frown was quickly replaced with a coy smirk "Oh so you want to play do you?" Pitch rhetorically asked the frost spirit before him. "Well then we can play."

Jack quickly found himself alone, surrounded by nothing but trees and darkness "Oh come on Pitch, don't be such a spoil sport!" Jack shouted into the darkness with a pouty frown.

"If you want to play Jack you'll have to find me first." Pitch called from the darkness, hidden by the shadows of the night.

Jack's frown turned into a grin at the challenge. He then burst into a sprint through the dark woods. Jack had no idea where he was running, but he figured it had to get him somewhere. He dodged trees and branches, swerving through the dense wooded terrain as nimble as a hare. Jack's eyes surveyed the darkness around him, searching for Pitch's figure and obstacles in his path. In mid leap over a fallen branch Jack found himself in the grasp of a captor. Jack let out and undignified shriek, limbs flailing in a desperate attempt to free himself. Pitch only chuckled at the actions "It seems rather than finding me, I found you..." Pitch finished by holding the wiggling spirit closer to himself.

"No fair!" Jack pouted only squirming slightly less against the tight hold of Pitch's arms.

"Really?" Pitch asked nuzzling his face against the nape of Jack's neck.

Jack let out a deep sigh and gave a weak glare to the spirit nuzzling him "Cheat."

"I don't remember saying that I wasn't allowed to find you." Pitch whispered laying a kiss on the spot where he had been nuzzling a second ago. Jack groaned at the feeling, letting his head fall back so his neck arched exposing more flesh to Pitch's wandering lips. Pitch simply smirked into the skin at the sound, laying more butterfly kisses up Jack's neck, and onto his jaw line. The air was thick with anticipation as Pitch's mouth moved upward. Jack was not a patient being and tried moving his head to meet Pitch's lips. Pitch grasped Jack's jaw in a firm hold.

"Patience patience Jack, no need to rush just yet" Pitch cooed letting his tongue trail on the shell of Jack's ear "There will be plenty of time for that later…"

Jack let out a sharp gasp as Pitch bit his ear, nibbling on the sensitive flesh. This caused Jack to let out a sharp gasp. Pitch licked over the swollen spot, and then let his tongue trail down Jack's ear once more until he reached the lobe. Smiling he whispered "Do you want to kiss me Jack?"

Half heartedly glaring at the darker spirit, Jack spit out, "What do you think?"

Pitch let out a "tsk tsk" as he scolded the spirit in his hold "Now Jack that's not a proper answer. For all I know you want me to leave you here all by yourself."

"No!" Jack answered much too quickly "No…I-I don't want you to leave." Pitch looked at Jack soaking in the sight before him. The frost spirit's face was filled with anxiety. Not the unadulterated kind that plagued small children whose fathers had left to get cigarettes never to return, but the fear of abandonment was there. He and Jack knew being alone all too well. This fear had such a sickly sweet scent that made his toes curl. It was a fear that filled his lungs even when alone. Years left wondering in the background did things to you, made you doubt things others knew were solid. Made you think that any sort of companionship could slip away at any moment. It wasn't something guaranteed, but something you had to cling onto for dear life. Everyone grows weak; no matter how strong their grip is, so it almost seemed inevitable to lose those you held close. Pitch knew Jack didn't want to lose him…at least not just yet. These feelings made Pitch want to devour Jack's fear, and at the same time to banish it. Cast it out into the depths of the dark that even he could not reach. There was something about fear on Jack's face that just didn't seem right. It was tainted beauty, like trash in freshly fallen snow.

"Oh Jack, I couldn't leave you," He whispered bringing his hand up to the spirit's white face "You're much too fun." Pitch stroked his thumb against Jack's cheek watching the other spirit's expression soften. Jack grinned at the other, halfway tempted to punch Pitch in the arm. Instead he let his eyes close and leaned into the touch, eager for the contact. Jack felt safe wrapped up in Pitch. It was the feeling of when he first made contact with Pitch again. The warmth of his arms promised to protect him from everything else with their embrace. It was quite Ironic really; the nightmare king chasing away nightmares. Jack's actions only fueled the need inside of Pitch, the desire to be wanted. The more Jack gave the more Pitch wanted. Pitch crashed their lips together; his movements being influenced entirely by his desperate need to devour the other. Jack returned the movements, just as hungrily as Pitch. Tongues and teeth clashed in against each other in a sloppy battle for dominance, each wanting to take over the other. The two spirits wanted to consume each other, mesh their bodies into one so that they would never separate. This desire caused Pitch's hands to slide from Jack's face to his stomach, and then slid under his hoodie. Jack groaned and clung onto Pitch's hair as his hands continued to explore the shorter spirit. Pitch's hands moved all over the toned chest only stopping to play with Jack's hardened nipples. Jack broke the kiss only to let out a moan.

This sound stopped all of Pitch's movements, as if a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown onto him. At the sudden halt of activity, Jack looked up at Pitch "What's wrong, why did you stop?" He asked with eyes full of concern.

"This is wrong." Pitch responded, recoiling against his own words.

"What is?" Jack asked again not understanding what was going on with the Nightmare king.

"You're too pure, to naïve Jack." Pitch responded solemnly "I'm afraid this won't end well."

"Wait, what? How Pitch?" Jack rushed out with a confused glare.

"You have to ask, which only helps to prove my point Jack. We're going places we cannot return from. I am king Midas, but my touch turns things into darkness rather than gold. If I touch you I'll take you to the point of no return, and it is not a nice place to be. Jack. This is where a being of the light can be consumed by its own nightmares, and turned into a creature of the afterhours. Where shadows never sleep, and past regrets fester in your mind like open wombs. It isolates you from all that you once knew, turning you a bitter shell of your former self. The mixture of loneliness and regret will only corrupt you further. It is a long and slow process but once it starts it never stops. You'll soon embody all of the things that you once hated, and become a monster. No one will want to be around you." Pitch continued talk, beginning to talk more about himself than Jack "You didn't know! You were just so afraid, so worried! You chased something you could not catch, held onto an illusion as if it was true." Pitch's eyes widened and then turned into slits as he caught himself. "No. I don't wish to take you there Jack."

Jack shook his head at the statement "Oh come on Pitch yo-"

"I said no Jack!" Pitch shouted, his whole body shaking. Jack simply stood there in shock with watery eyes, threatening to spill over into tears at any moment.

"'You've begun to think of me as someone I'm not. I think it's time you woke up." Pitch finished in a cold tone.

Jack shot up eyes wide and gasping for air. He just sat there like that for a minute, looking around at the empty area clinging to his chest. His body stayed rigid even when he saw he was now surrounded by the light of day. The words of the nightmare king still hung heavy in his mind. Jack couldn't believe what had happened, everything had been so good and then it had all gone so wrong. Jack should have been happy that Pitch cared about him so much, that he wanted to protect Jack, but Jack wanted to do the same for Pitch. He didn't want to be pushed away. They were supposed to be together, keep each other from being alone. Soon Jack's vision began to fuzz, making him realized there were tears streaming down his cheeks. Jack fiercely rubbed his hands over his eyes rubbing away the tears. No, he wouldn't cry, nor would he give up. He was not a doll or a child and would not be treated as such. No matter what Pitch said, what they did wasn't wrong. It wasn't hurting anyone, and if anything it was helping them. There was only so much that words could to do comfort someone, to show the intimacy of their feelings. Jack only felt warmth when Pitch touched him. With great determination, Jack lifted himself off the ground in search of the Boogie man. It was time that they had a talk face to face.


End file.
